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A certified copy of a birth certificate may be used for retirement purposes, passports, social services, school enrollment, and other legal purposes.
NOTICE: Due to the FEDERAL REAL ID Act, documents (including a certified copy of a birth certificate) may be required to renew your Maryland Driver’s License or Identification Card. Click here to find out if you need to bring REAL ID documents for your next Maryland Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Administration (MVA) visit.
The MVA will accept a U.S. Birth Certificate as proof of identity. A U.S. Birth Certificate says “Certificate of Live Birth” at the top and has impressed seals in the bottom corners along with water marks. The MVA will not accept documents issued by a hospital, notification of birth, birth registration cards, and foreign birth certificates.
If you were born in Maryland January 1, 1939 or later, and are:
Call the Baltimore Office of Vital Records at 410-764-3038 if you:
If you were born in another state:
In Person - Mondays - Friday, 8:30 am- 4:00 pm (no appointment needed!)
Complete the application and bring required ID with you to 350 Montevue Lane, Frederick, MD 21703, Entrance A (Blue Flag). Cost is $20 per birth certificate.
Birth Certificate Application (English) (requires Adobe Reader - free download)
Descargue el formulario bilingüe (Inglés / Español) (necesita Adobe Reader - descárgelo gratis - la información en este formulario se puede guardar e imprimir)
Online
To order online, visit www.vitalchek.com.
By Mail
To order by mail, visit Maryland Department of Health Vital Records. Cost is $10.
To receive same day service, you must present a valid, unexpired, government-issued photo ID displaying issued and expiration dates.
Acceptable photo IDs:
If you cannot provide a valid photo ID you will not be able to receive your birth certificate the same day. To have your birth certificate mailed to you, you must provide 2 different alternative documents. At least one of these documents must contain your current mailing address.
Acceptable documents (must have 2):
The cost is $20 per birth certificate. We accept cash, check (made out to Frederick County Health Department), MasterCard or Visa credit cards.
Legal Requirements
Maryland law requires that all births occurring in the State be registered with the Maryland Department of Health (MD Health-General Code Ann. 4-208). Registration of your child’s birth establishes the facts of birth and will be used throughout your child’s lifetime for a variety of legal purposes. When a baby is born outside of an institution, the local health officer or designee of the jurisdiction where the birth occurred is required to attempt to verify the facts regarding the birth.
State of Maryland Certified Nurse Midwives and Licensed Direct Entry Midwives now have the authority to complete registration for home births occurring in Frederick County. If you were in care with one of these professionals, please contact them for further instructions.
Pre-registration is available at the Frederick County Health Department and simplifies the registration process that will take place after the baby is born.
Necessary Documents
The necessary documents from a licensed health care provider would include:
Please contact the Health Department at 301-600-3326 for help with filling out these forms.
Creating A New Birth Certificate: A person born in Maryland, whose birth was never registered, may apply for a delayed certificate of birth. Contact the Division of Vital Records at 410-764-3038 for further information. A new birth certificate may also be prepared in the case of: